Sting down Roughnecks 19-15
Published on May 1, 2005 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Calgary Roughnecks News Release
CALGARY â The mission to repeat has come to an end.
The Calgary Roughnecks fell 19-15 to the Arizona Sting Saturday in front of 11,468 spectators at the Pengrowth Saddledome in the West Division final, ending Calgary's season and, with it, the chance to repeat as National Lacrosse League Champions.
It looked, for three quarters at least, like the Roughnecks were headed to the Champion's Cup in Toronto on May 14.
But it all fell apart in the fourth quarter when the Arizona Sting went on a six-goal run, erasing a three-goal Calgary lead and establishing a three goal lead of their own with under five minutes remaining in the game.
This was a game that featured many momentum swings, some tough defence, hard loose ball struggles, sharp goaltending on both sides and individual battles. Case in point: When the Roughnecks scored two straight late in the fourth quarter to pull within a goal at 16-15, the Sting responded with two quick goals of their own.
The Roughnecks were paced by captain Tracey Kelusky's four goals and a three-goal, four assist night from Lewis Ratcliff.
The Sting were led by Craig Conn and Dan Dawson, who each scored four times.
Kelusky scored 44 seconds into the fourth quarter to give the Roughnecks a 13-10 lead but the offence suddenly went quiet and did not score again until Kelusky found the net again at 11:09 of the quarter. In the meantime the Sting had stung, popping six straight and essentially putting the game out of reach.
In the end the Sting exploited the Roughnecks on the fast break, creating many odd-man rushes and, when the offence went silent, the âNecks were in trouble.
After opening the third quarter with two Ratcliff goals to create a four-goal lead â Calgary's largest lead of the game â the Roughnecks lost the momentum as Arizona struck for three straight and pulled within a goal at 11-10 at 12:10.
It was game-on once again and the Roughnecks got a big boost from an unlikely source when defender Rich Catton quick-sticked a rebound past a surprised Mike Miron in the Arizona net at 13:58 to give the Roughnecks a 12-10 lead, a lead they would carry into the fourth quarter and eventually relinquish.
The Roughnecks opened the second quarter with two straight goals to take a 6-3 lead. Jason Wulder scored with the teams playing four on four lacrosse and then Kelusky, taking a perfect feed from Toth, drove the net and beat Miron with an in-tight bouncer at 3:58.
The Sting refused to roll over, fighting back with two goals in a 41 second span from Jason Clark and Conn and the Roughnecks lead was 6-5 at the 9:57 mark of the quarter. Arizona's Noah Talbot took advantage on a fast-break, squeezing a shot past Curtis Palidwor to tie the game 6-6 at 11:24 to cap a three-goal run by the Sting.
That, apparently, was enough to spark the Riggers back to life.
Kaleb Toth, Brad MacDonald, with a neat little backhand off the hip and Jason Wulder all scored in a 50-second span and stake Calgary to a 9-6 lead. Toth and MacDonald scored just eight seconds apart.
Dawson replied with his third of the game on a delayed penalty at 14:40 of the second and the half ended with the Roughnecks holding a 9-7 lead.
In a tight first quarter, the Roughnecks struck first when Dowling scored on a nifty touch bounce shot just 39 seconds into the game.
The Sting responded with two goals of their own from their snipers, first Dawson and then Conn to take a 2-1 lead. But Roughneck Jeff Moleski scored on a fast-break and then Kelusky scored on an outside shot to give the âNecks the lead again.
Dawson scored on a power play before Toth returned the favour, cutting inside on a Roughnecks power play and scoring at 14:19 and the quarter ended with the Roughnecks leading 4-3.
In a scary moment Sting defender Darryl Gibson took a hard Toth shot off the head at the end of the first half and fell in a heap on the turf. However, he was able to leave the floor at halftime without assistance.
National Lacrosse League Stories from May 1, 2005
- Fourth Quarter Surge Lifts Sting to Champions' Cup Final - OSC Original by Andrew Nordmeier
- Sting down Roughnecks 19-15 - Calgary Roughnecks
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